Hey mates,
Me and my mzsz-to-be just booked plans for glorious NZ and Tahiti! We both took a drive round both N and S islands back in college years but were totally on starving college kid budgets at the time. We've been wanting to see the All Blacks play in person for years and we recently realised that they've 1 match during our time there...but it's World Cup....and it's against France.

Reading about tix, official site says we're approaching Phase 4 of sales as of July 4th and I'm praying SO hard that there'll be 2 seats left for this match. Any tips or words of advice from either my fellow Kiwi/French SDers on completing our dream trip???

Much appreciated!

I've been to Tahiti, but not New Zealand yet. If you're still looking for a hotel/resort Les Tipaniers on Moorea was a great deal. Excellent restaurant, rooms on the beach at reasonable rates. It's not Bora Bora glamorous, but I was there for diving and surfing so most of my time was spent in the ocean. Plus, from Moorea it's a quick express boat back to the main island of Tahiti for night life, museum, ancient monuments and stuff. The resort has access to all beach facilities like diving/snorkeling, kite/wind surfing, canoeing, but for normal surf you need to have guide take you on a boat out to the outer reefs. The main island of Tahiti has some beach breaks that are fun. The diving/snorkeling is much better than Hawaii and Mexico. You don't even need tanks to see live reef. I remember one dude asked me how far away are the fish, I was like dude "they are right there, just swim 10 feet from the beach and you run into live reef". The water is ridiculously warm too, and you must wear sunscreen even if you tan well since the sun is so close. You can buy black pearls super cheap too, just don't buy from the first dealer you meet. There are so many pearl farmers that you can get super good deals by asking around especially the natives (non-french looking).

NZ dollar is worse than yours and everything apart from fuel is relatively cheap... you will be sorted.

I have a few front row tickets for some of the games... cant wait... bring it on I say

The only issue you might have is to find accomodation at a reasonable price in NZ. For as long as NZ won the bid for the world cup the accomodation has been picked up at supersonic speed. Even to the extend that people moving away during the cup and renting their house out for $$$$.
Anyway Tahiti is very much like Cook islands and I have been there, very nice, you're in for a treat! If you are in to anything like snorkling, scuba diving or big game fishing safe some $$$ to do these things as it is worth it.

Sounds like agreat trip and I hope it goes very well.

I saw the all blacks play England in 96 when I was working in Auckland. I'd always wanted to see the blacks live and I really enjoyed the afternoon, despite the 44 -10 scoreline! It was the strike year for England. We still went wild when Matt Dawson came off the scrum, sidestepped and went in for the try though!

Thanks fellas! Can't wait to get out of the stuffy office and onto a gleamin' beach with my lady and cool beverage.

Z, what's the deal with general ticket sales starting July 4th on RWC.com? I've seen other websites w/o restrictions on sales...wondering if they're bogus?

O and forgive me for the opening post...i'd love advice from any of ya regardless of home country!

I hope the ticketing isn't the shambles the 2012 olympics have been. Although I understand there were sites to buy tickets outside the UK that were much better!

plans are comin' together....rotorua for 2 days, headed up the Tongariro crossing, on to coromandel, into auckland....and then we've got 2 empty days to fill. years ago we stayed in Whangarei and took a bus tour to cape reinga...

Any ideas on great places to go further north of auckland?

You'll have to watch before going to NZ. A cracking film.

ell the trinations final was great... And Australia came out on top and sent those flightless birds home... FTW!!! Bring on the world cup!!!